Rich vibrant colourways, incorporating inspiration from nature, African beadwork, music and emotion.

Knitwear designer & published author working with independent dyers to give their colourways and fibres beautiful form and texture

The July T&M Maker Spotlight is on Karina Moore, creator of @louielolayarns in Tasmania. Karina brought Thread & Maple to knitters of Australia and we've developed a long-distance, yet close friendship since :)  Karina not only runs her own LYS, she also dyes an exquisite palette of complimentary tonal and variegated colourways on a range of gorgeous bases, including our fave Merino Silk Yak Fingering which we couldn't resist carrying in our own shop. She's recently had her first release of hand dyed spinning fibre as she continues on her fibre craft journey, learning to spin, weave and crochet. Karina is a true inspiration for us, as she is a talented creative spirit, skilled businesswoman and local community icon. L&L have been selected as Australia Post's Local Business Hero for 2022! Together with Tracie Millar, we have collaborated on two breast cancer fundraisers, which has been a true highlight for all of us. Karina brought together the Australian fibre arts community to raise over $20,000 for breast cancer research! We are fortunate and honoured to have connected with Karina has kindly shared some insightful Q&A's with the community. Q1: What advice would you give to someone starting to learn the dyeing process?Most definitely it would be to take detailed recipe notes for your colourways.  Whilst there's certainly creative value in dyeing just for fun and and by feel (and these can always be one-of-a-kind skeins) - it's often those OOAK colourways that you love the most and want to repeat, but without detailed notes they can be a challenge to replicate.  I think it's also about getting to know your dye pigments intimately.  One of the best pieces of advice I received from Hannah of Circus Tonic Handmade who taught me how to dye, was to stick with one dye brand and get to know how the strength and properties of each dye.  Every pigment will have it's own concentration and special properties.   Some will be more granular and others more powder like.  Some will be more concentrated and others easy to 'break', whilst others not so much.  It's about getting to know how each of your pigments will behave and which ones will be better for certain dyeing techniques such as speckling.  Developing an intimate understanding of your dye pigments will help in developing new colourways and achieving the results you are after.  I think it's about having fun and developing your own dyeing style & colour palette.  Dyeing what you love and what you are proud of is also important - you can't be everything to everyone, so getting to understand your own style is important and will bring you more creative fulfillment. Also appreciating that it's a creative journey, that there will be mistakes and that you'll evolve and change over time.  I look back now at some of my earlier colourways and ask myself 'what was I thinking' - but we all start somewhere and it's only through learning and spending time on developing our craft that we can later step back and appreciate the evolution in your own work and dyeing style.Q2: What do you find most rewarding about running your own business?I would say a couple of things.Firstly, it would be having the freedom to set my own creative direction and establish business processes that work best for myself and my customers - such as having fortnightly shop updates where I focus on dyeing up a complementary palette on one main yarn base, alternated with yarn club dyeing and dyed to orders.The other would be developing friendships and gettting to know customers, suppliers and others in the fibre community.  Given how passionate we all are about our crafting and the fact that we're located all over the world and what we've been through over the pandemic - having the opportunity to make online connections in the fibre arts interaction is more importrant now than ever.  Despite living and working from home in North West Tasmania, it's great to feel more connected than ever with our community and hearing that our yarns have brought enjoyment to people's projects and crafting is definitely the best part of being an indie dyer for me.Q3: What has been the biggest challenge for you and how have you tackled it?Trying (and failing) to teach my partner how to skein yarn, LOL!  Let's just say we gave up on that idea after a few weeks!Actually it was probably convincing him to let me take the plunge of quitting my full time job - to being self-employed and focusing 100% on Louie & Lola Yarns, but we got there in the end!It has also been learning to balance the demands of a small business with also setting aside 'off' time for myself.  When you work from home it can be all too easy to let your business take over your entire life, as there's something to be done - your to-do list is always there.I guess particularly in the early years when trying to build the business and get into a routine, my biggest challenge was learning to manage my time effectively - whilst also ensuring I set aside 'creative play time' in the dye pots and also time for my own personal crafting projects. ------------------------- Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us, Karina! We’re so happy to have had the opportunity to get to know you and work with you, you’re a true inspiration!Stay tuned for next month’s edition of Maker Spotlight! Meanwhile, check the L&L blog for our Q&A in reverse with Karina, where she turned the spotlight back onto us!

One of the most rewarding things that we've been lucky enough to experience in our journey as Thread & Maple, is connecting with so many talented makers in the fiber arts community. There is nothing like seeing our creations play a supporting role in all the beautiful needlecraft projects in the hands of knitwear designers, indie dyers, test knitters, teachers and fiber enthusiasts all over the world. We feel deeply grateful for the opportunity to be part of your creative process, your commitment to self-care, your artistic expression. While perusing all the beautiful photos that you've all shared using our items while creating, we had this concept of a "Maker Spotlight". The idea is to connect with a maker who really inspires us and share their story with the community. The first person who came to mind is CeCe @stitch.witch.craft, who has taken our Needle Binder along on her crafting journey in the recent debut of her video series "Letters". This is a small excerpt of her absolutely stunning videography and storytelling.   View this post on Instagram A post shared by Thread and Maple (@threadandmaple)       She has mastered the art of communicating the calm, connection and appreciation that stems from the creative process. Take a look for yourself on her YouTube channel Stitch Witch Craft We will be featuring CeCe’s selected works throughout the month of June, along with a Q&A where she will share her story. During the month of June, we will be sharing CeCe’s answers to some questions on her creative process to provide some advice and inspiration for fellow makers in the fiber arts community :)Q1: What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone starting out on a new project or creative endeavour?“Focus on what you need and on how you want the creative process to feel.I often have a specific creative mood I want to dig into (ex. romantic, bold, comforting) and I use that feeling to guide what I cast on. For example, what does a project that feels “romantic” look like? What kind of drape does the fabric have and what kind of yarn do I need to achieve it? Am I looking for the project to feel challenging and engaging as I work through it or do I need something slow and meditative? Asking “how do I want it to feel” when I wear a piece and as I make it helps align my creative drive with the project I am working on. It prevents me from feeling as if I am forcing a WIP that isn’t working for me. Be inspired by our broader knitting community but don’t knit something just because it’s new or trendy - knit what you need. “ Q2: What tools are indispensable for you in the art of making?“To be indispensable (for me) means that a tool minimizes barriers to my creative process. My big three tools are my needles, needle binder, and my yarn swift/winder. Together they decenter feelings like frustration or overwhelm and free up space for joy. I knew I needed an upgrade when I realized that most of the knitting frustration I experienced was me fighting my needles - poor quality cords and unreliable connectors took so much joy from the process. I found a set that worked for me and I’ve never looked back. My needle binder is part of why I’ve been able to do that - great needles don’t help much when you can’t keep track of them. My binder keeps everything organized and it is versatile enough that I can pull a page out to take my craft with me wherever I go. I love the confidence it gives me.Finally, someone once told me I should buy back time where I could afford to and that advice has been pivotal throughout my life. Having a swift and winder helps to protect my limited crafting time. I want to invest my energy in what fulfills me most. Between these three I worry less about “do I have enough time,” “where is that cord I need,” “is my needle disconnecting again” and more about “is this project fulfilling?” Crafting isn’t meant to be easy or perfect but I want my challenges to come from tackling a new technique or design - not my tools. As you develop your crafting practice, it's also important to consider ergonomic tips to avoid crafting-related injuries. Taking regular breaks, maintaining good posture, and setting up your workspace thoughtfully can help ensure that your creative journey remains comfortable and sustainable for years to come. Q3: Where do you get your inspiration? Do you have a favourite trick or hack when brainstorming or ideating your next creative project?“Nature, always. I love how it is such a contradiction - delicate and strong, subtle and flashy, nurturing and challenging. I want to be as surrounded by nature as I can be and that’s where a lot of my creative drive comes from. I’ll watch the sunrise through the trees and think “it’d be so awesome to be wrapped up in this color” or see a fern and then end up at home looking up at lace patterns trying to find one that captures that look. I love the idea that even when I’m stuck indoors I can carry that connection to nature with me. But I am also trying to learn to respect the process. My biggest “trick” may seem a bit counterintuitive - but respect the ebbs and flows. With creativity or inspiration to craft - it’s natural that there be lulls at times. The worst thing I’ve found is applying pressure or guilt when you feel like you’re in a rut. We’re not meant to be endless sources of production or art. Let go. Rest periods are normal - and feeling like you’re in a rut is a signal that right now your job isn’t to produce art but to maybe…rest? That inspiration and creativity will come back, I promise. So respect the ebbs and flows.  “We are deeply touched and thankful for CeCe and all of you who have invited us into your home, your creative nook, your comfort space. ❤️ Thank you and stay tuned for next month's edition of Maker Spotlight!